The present invention relates to a thimble for use with a needle and thread in hand sewing. The invention was made to provide a sewing thimble with multiple functions: pushing a needle through buttons or heavy cloth, pulling a needle and thread through heavy cloth or when stuck, and cutting the thread when finished sewing. The improved sewing thimble is a composite structure precision molded from state of the art plastic compounds so as to have a long useful life.
The scope and content of the prior art has been determined as explained below.
U.S. Pat. No. 743,280, November, 1903, Hemenway discloses a thimble carrying a ring 4 with elliptical openings 8. The thimble wall has a needle groove 3. A needle 11 is gripped against the groove 3 by a push-button 5 with a serrated face.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,620,996, March 1927, Caulkins discloses a needle pulling thimble with a pair of spaced rigid lugs 20 and 22 having oppositely bevelled parallel lips 21 and 23 next to open end rim 12.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,475,324, July, 1949, Jaske discloses a thimble with a closed end and side slot 14 so that a thread may be cut by an insert disk 9.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,589,499, March, 1952, Lake discloses a thimble with a needle-gripping block formed by a transverse tube 3 and a resilient blade 4. A separate cup-shaped finger shield 6 may be secured in the thimble inwardly of the tube B to protect the finger of the wearer from contact with the tube 3. In another form, the needle is positioned within a transverse block 8 and engaged by a thumb pressure actuated jaw or block 10.
U.S. Pat. No. Des. 194,257, December, 1962, Burbig shows a thimble with a side mounted needle pulling element looking somewhat like an aircraft jet engine.